Colie
by Robin Gurl
Summary: Explanation of how America's jacket came to be. One Shot. FACE Family. Not FrUk.


Colie  
>By Robin Gurl<p>

(This was written as a story for a friend who was going off to visit Italy for 2 weeks (who is now my America) and at the same time I was missing my Britain (I'm her America) and so...I used her name in the story...^ ^;. hehe.)

**As always this story isn't meant to be FrUk. I do whole heartedly believe that France and Britain got along long enough to raise the twins together so as not to separate them. Say what you will but they are good friends - they just get amusement out of the other's pain. **

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the headcanon!

"Alfred, for your sake and for your brothers, you need to go to sleep as well." Francis said trying to comfort the young country long enough for him to drift off to sleep. He gently reached over and pulled off the boy's new glasses they had just recently aqquired after it was evident that the boy's eyesight wasn't up to par. He closed the wire frames up and walked over to the dressor setting them beside his brother's.

"Papa, I can't…I can't find it…until I do…I can't get any sleep.." Alfred whispered hoarsely burying his face into his pillow sniffling. He was only 10, he could still cry and after all THAT was missing.

"Mon Deu, if you don't tell me what is missing I can't find it." Francis sighed frustrated as the young teen just continued to sniffle into his pillow. He ran his fingers through the unruly blonde hair and looked over to his other son. Matthew was fast asleep curled on his stomach with his stuffed bear curled in one arm, the other arm was wrapped around his pillow. Even though he was still feverish he was still sound asleep and looked to be peaceful.

"I know I'm trouble…" Alfred suddenly whispered startling France.

"Qua?" The older country asked his gaze narrowing. "You aren't trouble, darling why would you even think that?"

"I am. Father says I am all the time.." Alfred suddenly exclaimed tears streaming. "Mattie he's…he's perfect..he doesn't lose things…like his jacket…he's smart…he keeps Kumajiro in his arms all the time…." He sat up unsteadily wiping his eyes hard with frustration. "I…I had to take him off 'cause it was hot…and now…now I can't find him."

Still completely confused, Francis knelt down and pulled the boy into a hug. He was wracking his brain for any clue as to what Alfred was so upset about. Alfred didn't have a stuffed bear or animal that he carried around religiously like Matthew. He used to carry a rabbit around but the poor thing had to be burnt when the twins had caught the scarlet fever a few decades back. "Alfred, your brother isn't perfect he makes plenty mistakes. And you know your father loves you, he just has a short temper is all. After all he raises his voice at me quite a lot now doesn't he?"

Alfred nodded sniffling, "But…I can't fine Colie…he's gone…."

Colie? France really wished Arthur would finish the laundry and come upstairs. The British Empire seemed to have the ability to understand whatever was wrong with the twins. He just guessed and was usually wrong, well at least with Alfred. With Matthew it was a little bit easier because he spoke in soft broken French when he wanted something. "Let's go see Arthur, oui? Maybe he can help." He knew that Alfred shouldn't be on his feet with his fever number 1 nor should he be leaving Matthew number 2.

"But…Mattie…we can't leave him.." Alfred studdered wide-eyed. "He'll..He'll get scared, Papa, he hates being alone.."

"So we'll take him with us, oui?" Francis reluctantly walked over to the other side of the double bed and slid the covers down gently revealing his feverish body and sweaty pajamas covered in maple leaves. He placed a hand carefully on the small back rubbing gently before turning him over with care.

Matthew's eyes fluttered open slightly and they focused on France, "Papa, common vous allez?"

"Nous allons voir le père." He responded bending down to gather the light form in his arms. He grabbed one of the blankets and tucked it around his son in his arms and the bear. As he looked up he saw Alfred's expression and felt his heart sink, he looked quite upset, almost hurt. He walked over and reached out helping Alfred stand as well. He wanted to say he still loved Alfred because he did but he and Alfred weren't affectionate like that and it was times like these he wished they were. "Let's go see your father, surely he'll know what to do, oui?"

"Right.." Alfred responded walking unsteadily towards the staircase. The laundry room was on the first floor and he was feeling a bit dizzy. He shook it off though, he had to find Colie or he wasn't going to get any sleep.

Arthur glanced up when he heard footsteps coming down the hallway. He finished putting the wet clothes in the basket and was prepared to throw a wet sock at France for leaving him by himself earlier to collect the clothes. When he whirled around wet sock in hand he saw Francis standing there with Matthew in his arms and Alfred clinging to his side looking barely coherent.

Worry took over the embarrassment and he just dropped the sock into the basket hurrying over to the trio. "My word, why are they out of bed?" He and Alfred were the same height right now (even though he had a feeling both of the twins were going to be tall, probably inherited that from France) so he could reach out with ease and check for the fever. "You're still burning up, come on lad let's go to bed. If you don't get any sleep you can't get better."

"But…but…I can't.." Alfred whispered his bottom lip quivering.

"And why not? Francis if you told him ghost stories again.."

"Nothing of the sort, mon lapin." Francis responded back half serious and half playfully.

"Call me that again and I'll behead you, Frog." Then he turned back to Alfred. "What is the problem then, lad? It must be big since Papa had to carry Matthew down."

Tears welled up again in Alfred's eyes and he clenched his hands into fists. "I didn't mean ta hurt him…he's asleep….Mattie's ok…..Papa said he was. I ..I just didn't want …Mattie to be alone…."

The response shocked Arthur and he sighed pulling the boy into a hug. "Alright, now what is going on?" He looked to Francis who only shrugged as best he could with the other twin in his arms. He felt Alfred cling to him and start crying which was weird in it's self. "Lad, you've got to tell me so I can fix it."

"Col..Colie…he's missing…"

He heard France sigh and realized that France had no idea. "Honestly Francis, you don't know who Colie is?" France gave him a look and he just smugly smirked back. "Alfred, you're jacket is being stitched up."

"What?" The boy asked tears still streaming. "W..Why?"

"Didn't you get another colony the other day?"

"Y..Yes but you said it was too small to count…" Alfred whispered letting Arthur wipe his tears away. "I need him …I can't go to sleep without him.."

Arthur smiled warmly and ruffled the boy's hair before pushing past France walking into the living room. He rummaged through his sewing pile before pulling up the brown jacket that was very worn and had many patches in it.

He handed it over the number 13 on the back of the jacket. Alfred took it and put it on tears of relief falling down his cheeks. He fell into a sitting position on the sofa feeling exhausted now that he'd found his jacket.

Arthur pulled him to his feet again and wrapped an arm around the unsteady shoulders. "Alright, back to bed."

WW II Era

"Dude, I swear if you have Colie I'mma come over there and give you a what for!" America exclaimed loudly his voice was heard coming out of the speaker on the phone that Britain had in his ear.

"Now Alfred, calm down, why would I have Colie?" He asked with a bit of amusement in his voice. He snickered softly looking at the worn bomber jacket in his lap that was half stitched up.

"'Cause you're the only one who knows who Colie is aside from Mattie."

"And who says Matthew might not have taken it?"

France just rolled his eyes sitting on the chair on the opposite side of the room. "Really, Angleterre one of these days he's going to rip through your house and leave nothing standing."

"'Cause I know Mattie. He just wouldn't. Give it up Iggy, I know ya got it."

"Alright, fine, come on over. Of course I have it you git, you were the idiot who tore the whole in it." Arthur chastised into the phone.

"Yeh, yeh, on my way.."

"Alright after this long I'm finally going to bite, what in the world does Colie stand for?" Francis asked crossing his legs.

"Colony. It's what Alfred used to call his land that he thought he owned when he was younger."

"I remember he had trouble remembering how many he had."

"So I sewed it on the back of his jacket that way he couldn't forget. I just didn't intend on him using it as a security blanket in the process.."

Before France could answer a loud banging was heard on the door. Arthur put his thimble onto the table beside his chair and put his needle back in the pin cushion then put the jacket in the basket beside his chair before standing. "Alfred F Jones if you break down my door I don't care how important Colie is, I'm burning it right here in my fire place!"

The door swung open and America stood there looking quite uneasy. He heaved wide eyed, "Do you know how long I've been searching for him?"

"Long enough to lose your senses it seems." Arthur responded rolling his eyes, motioning for the young country to come in. He shut the door then led Alfred into the living room. He bent down and gathered the jacket up then handed it to America. "I don't see why you keep that old thing around or why when it goes missing you don't ask me first."

America hugged the jacket happily then put it on feeling whole again. "Yeh! America is back, y'all!" Then he turned towards Iggy, "You really don't know why I keep it?"

Britain shook his head crossing his arms. "I haven't a clue."

"Dude, I keep it because it reminds me of all the memories I had as a kid.." Alfred blushed. "And it reminds me of home when I'm away…so I wear it all the time. I know you couldn't stay with Mattie and I all the time because England needed it's Pirate so Mattie and I would sleep on the jacket because it smelled like you and France…" Then he grinned sheepishly, "Kinda childish I know but anything to help when you're alone!"

A soft gasp was heard from France but nothing else. Arthur on the other hand was blushing furiously and a few tears were forming. "Y..You missed us that much…and that's why you're wearing that darn jacket all the time?"

"Yeh…that's why." Alfred walked over and hugged the British man before wrinkling his nose, "Well, we missed you not your cooking…"

"For that I am only cooking scones for the week I'm visiting you next month." Arthur responded trying to calm his emotions. He'd always thought he had been a horrible father but it had turned out he must not have been that bad. "And next time I fix the jacket….I'll let you know where it is."


End file.
